On a Bright Spring Day
by lilsketch908
Summary: She remembered the day he left. She could remember frantically running to the dock, stumbling over and over again until her knees were bloody in her haste. He left without a word, not even a simple good-bye.
1. On a Bright Sunny Day

**When I watched the Water 7, Enies Lobby part, one of my favorite Galley La characters was Kaku, so I was a little shocked when I found out that he was a CP9 assassin. He didn't seem like an assassin to me so it had me wondering where he came from and what his history might be, which is how I came up with On a Bright Spring Day. I know it's a little short, and I'm not sure if I want to continue it or not, but please enjoy ^^**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything One Piece! **

**

* * *

**

She remembered the day he left. She could still remember the wind that caused her to shiver in her capris and simple T-shirt and the seagulls squawking in the air above. She could remember frantically running to the dock, stumbling over and over again until her knees were bloody in her haste.

He left without a word, not even a simple good-bye. She ran after him hoping she could convince him to stay, but the ship already left, and she was left all alone on the dock, tears streaming from her eyes. Whenever she remembered this day, she would always think how ironic it seemed that such a parting occurred on the brightest and clearest of all spring days.

She remembered the day they met clearly. He had saved her from some particularly rambunctious boys who decided they wanted to follow her around and torment her. They had called her names and pelted her with old fruit and vegetables. One of the tomatoes intended for her head had hit his nose instead, and he chased them away with a few well placed kicks. He didn't save her on purpose, she always knew that, but he saved her none-the-less. He had just been in the right place in the right time.

So she began to follow him around. She was all alone in that little village, her parents both gone somewhere on the sea, and her relatives cold and unyielding. He became her ray of hope that got her through the day. She followed him everywhere from his rounds in the village to the tranquil spot by the river where he ate. He would rarely say a word as she followed his footsteps. She would always ramble on and on about whatever came to mind, and he would stay mostly silent, but he never once pushed her away.

They had the oddest of friendships, but it never bothered her. For once she had a warm body next to her instead of the rough, textured pages of a book. He helped her cope with her loneliness by just simply being there. He was a loner too. Growing up with only his grandfather in a small house by the woods, he was constantly busy with chores and other work that was required in the up keeping of a house. The other children made fun of her for the permanent book that seemed to engulf her nose everywhere she went, and they made fun of him for that square nose of his. Personally, she thought the nose made him look handsome, but she would never voice such a thought. Maybe this loneliness they had in common was the reason why he never seemed perturbed by her constant presence.

She thought at first that he didn't care in any way about her due to his seemingly indifferent exterior, but every once in a while he'd surprise her. When she began to shiver because of the wind, he'd offer her his jacket. When she was relentlessly teased by the other children, he fought them off. When she stumbled, he would catch her. When her stomach growled because her relatives only fed her bread and odd bits and ends, he always bought her a warm meal.

But he still left, without a single word. For a long time, she wondered why he suddenly went away. She wondered if it was because of his grandfather's death or because there was a rumor his parents were still alive on the Grand Line. She wondered if the reason he left was because she did something wrong and angered him. She wondered if it was because he was now truly all alone without any family, but then she'd wonder if he cared about her at all. It was just so sudden, and she missed him fiercely in the first couple of months after he left, but eventually the pain began to dull. Soon, the pain she felt was reduced to a sting and then to a dull throb. The hole his absence made never went away, but she learned to cope and eventually she began to grow up.

About ten years passed before she received any information about him. There was an article in the newspaper about an attack on the great Enies Lobby. It was then she found that he had been a CP9 assassin for the World Government. She read through the article at first thinking that it couldn't possibly be him. She couldn't imagine how he had become an assassin. When she knew him, he would fight, but he wasn't a killer. A sudden sinking feeling weighed down her heart. What caused him to become an assassin for the World Government? What had happened to her childhood friend, her older brother like figure? A thousand thoughts raced through her head, but none would stay, and she could only remember a gentle fourteen year old boy.

She glanced at the ragged picture that she found fondly as it rested on top of the newspaper. Did he remember her? Did he ever think of her or miss her? She gave a heavy sigh and rested her head against the cool finished wood of the small kitchen table in her small apartment.

The wind breezed through the open window toying with the light curtain and her unbound hair. It was just like the day he left, cool, but sunny with a lazy breeze rustling through everything like a puppy snuffling in a new environment. She could feel tears well in her eyes, and the only thought in her head was an unanswered question whose answer she desperately needed. Finally letting the tears fall, she continued to rest her head staying completely still even as the sun began to set.

Kaku… Why did you leave? Why did you go?

* * *

**Please read and review! I'm an aspiring writer so constructive criticism is more than welcome ^^**


	2. A Silent Visit

**So... I decided to continue with the story after I realized where I wanted to see this go. Originally, I was planning on writing this as more of a little sister big brother kind of relationship, but I have a feeling that it's going to be more of a Kaku x OC story at the rate this is going.**

**I want to give a small Thank you shout out to all the silent readers and the reviewers of this story. As a writer, it means a lot to me that people are reading this and enjoying it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece!**

**

* * *

  
**

She never knew that he came to visit after the ordeal in Enies Lobby. He had always meant to visit, but between training and missions, simply never had the time. He didn't know whether to thank the Mugiwara Pirates or to be angry with them. Their intrusion on Enies Lobby gave him the opportunity to get away from the life of an assassin, but now he and the other CP9 agents were on the run from the government.

He arrived in the dead of the night when the village was shrouded in stillness with soft footsteps. It had been ten long years, and he couldn't bring himself to face her. He crept into her apartment with the grace of the extensive training he endured so many years ago and quietly walked to her bedside. He watched her sleep for what seemed to be hours, but in reality only spanned about twenty minutes. Her steady breathing calmed him, and he watched the blankets rise and fall with her every breath. She stirred, and a delicate hand peeked out from the warm confines of the blanket. He ached to reach for her hand, but knew that he shouldn't. With a heavy heart, he turned to leave, but an old photograph caught his eye.

He recognized the photo instantly, clearly remembering the day they had taken that picture. It was the year he left at a town festival the day before he turned fourteen. He left a month later. He hadn't wanted to go, preferring the silence and tranquility of the outskirts of town, but she had wheedled him into attending. He could still hear her excited rambling as they walked the decorated streets filled with vendor carts and small merchants. She stared at everything with fascination as though she never wanted to forget that day.

He could remember how she tried to pass by the food vendors as tantalizing smells surrounded her. The expression on her face had been priceless as she pretended she wasn't hungry while her stomach did nothing, but give her away. He bought her a little of everything and felt delighted in the ways her eyes had shone at the different types of food. She sheepishly accepted the food from him, but wasted no time in consuming them. They had laughed when she got sick from over eating just a couple of hours later. It was then that someone had passed by and taken their picture, her joyously laughing at her own misfortune and he standing close by with the ghost of a smile gracing his lips.

A larger piece of paper floating to the ground caught his attention pulling him out of the memories the photo had resurfaced. As he read the contents of what appeared to be an excerpt from a newspaper, regret coursed through his body. She knew, and she had to find out from an article written by someone unknown to her.

He cursed inwardly as he replaced the clipping and the photo back onto the bed side table, and it was only then he could see the tear tracks that shone on her cheeks. He reached out a hand to wipe away a tear, and she leaned into his touch as though she could sense that he was near.

"Kaku…" She whispered his name.

He visibly stiffened and retracted his hand from her cheek.

"I miss you."

A solitary tear escaped from the corner of her eye and slid down the apple of her cheek into the fabric of her pillow. He kneeled by her bed and on impulse, took her hand to feel her smooth skin against his rough, calloused palms.

"I'm sorry."

He did not know what else to say. There were no excuses or reasons he could try to convey that would even begin to erase the ten year gap or his sudden departure. With a soft kiss to the back of her hand, he rose and left the small apartment.

He wandered down the village roads to the quiet spot by the river he used to occupy. The willow tree he used to sit under still grazed her branches in the cool, babbling waters. He sank into the soft moss and leaned into the bark of the willow as he closed his eyes and allowed his body to loosen.

She still remembered him after ten years. He felt giddy with relief at the thought, though he didn't know why he felt so relieved. He had left this island ten years ago with very little to miss, but he found that the one thing he did miss caused him to regret fully leaving his old life behind. He gave a small sigh and reminisced about the lazy afternoons spent beneath this willow tree.

She had been a scrappy girl when he last saw her, scabs covering her skinny legs from falls due to her clumsiness. Her hair had been chopped into short, shaggy strands because she cut her own hair, but it didn't look so bad, giving off a scruffy look rather than an uneven childish cut. He pictured her sleeping form in his mind and imagined what it would feel like to run his fingers through her now long brown hair. He had no doubt that it would feel like cool silk between his fingers.

She had grown into quite the young woman. The eleven year old girl he used to know didn't seem to be present in her now womanly features. He wished he could've seen her grow up into this graceful young woman. "I bet you have a lot of suitors, Mizuki-chan." He smiled and bathed in the moonlight of the tranquil night forgetting everything he had left behind on Enies Lobby.

Buru buru. Buru buru.

"Kacha. Moshi moshi?" Kaku answered his mini Den Den Mushi that was tucked into an inner pocket on his jacket.

"Kaku, it's almost dawn. We have to go." A formal feminine voice warned through the little Den Den Mushi.

Kaku voiced confirmation and slowly stood, all romantic thoughts of another, more peaceful life drifting away like smoke in the wind. He watched the first tendrils of the sun's rays peek over the horizon and accepted his fate. He had no other life or the opportunity to dream of another life. He was a CP9 agent on the run from the government. There was no time to chase after futile dreams and wants. He couldn't put her in the way of danger.

Without another glance back at the waking village, he made his way back to the small ship waiting in the harbor to take him away back to the sea as stealthily as he had come, the photograph clutched in his hand fluttering with the spring breeze.

* * *

**Please read and review! All criticism and suggestions are welcome, after all, constructive criticism makes better writers ^^**


	3. An Impulsive Decision

**Welcome to Chapter 3 of On a Bright Spring Day****!** **Yay!**

**I noticed that there were fewer readers for chapter two than chapter one, but for everyone who came to read Chapter two, thank you! If there's any suggestions or concerns or comments, please feel free to review at the end of the chapter. All comments, suggestion, or criticism is welcome!**

**SoaringFyreByrd pointed out how the part about the character eating udon was confusing, and I'm so sorry if other people were confused. She was actually having a flashback to when she first tried it as she ate the first bite, but I have corrected the problem. Thanks to SoaringFyreByrd for the heads up ^^  
**

**Thanks again!**

**-lilsketch908**

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece!**

**

* * *

**

_italics_ = flashbacks

* * *

She woke up that morning with a strange sense that something was dreadfully wrong. She couldn't quite place her finger on the cause of her distress, but her heart raced and her gut wrenched indicating that something was not quite right. She felt as though she was missing something very important.

She took a look around the apartment, but nothing looked amiss. Dismissing her haywire instincts, she yawned and walked to the bathroom to get ready for another day.

She slipped into her knee length cotton dress with bell like sleeves that came to her elbow, and over it, she slipped on what appeared to be a linen overcoat except that it had no sleeves. She loosely tied back her still damp hair, and two persistent shoulder length strands once again escaped her hair ribbon to frame her pale, oval face. She put on her worn leather boots and headed to the bookshop in the shopping district to see if the owner had any odd jobs she could do to earn some money.

The bookshop was her haven in a way, stemming from the early days of her childhood when she used to spend hours in an old, worn armchair in the corner of the store browsing through book after book. The owner was a sweet old man who reminded her in a very strange way of her childhood friend's grandfather. When the old man found out that her relatives had kicked her out of the house as she came of age, he offered her odd jobs at the shop whenever he could afford it, but as he grew older, she found that she was doing more and more around the shop due to his ailing body. She often wondered why his grandson never offered to help, but he was a Marine captain, and she assumed that Marine captains were just very busy people.

The twinkle of the bell above the door announced her entrance.

"Ojii-san!" she called as she approached the counter.

An old man wearing a beige fisherman's hat hobbled out of the back using a cane for balance, except today, he was followed by a tall and a rather built man wearing the Marines captain uniform. His blonde hair was tied back, and an arrogant smirk remained etched onto his rugged, square face.

She shivered at the sight of him, remembering him from her childhood. He had been a bully constantly knocking her books to the ground and pulling at the hems of her skirt. Kaku had once fought the bigger boy off, with some severe injuries, but in the end, he was just included in the bullying. She showed none of her repulsion, however, and merely bowed with a quick 'Good morning.' in respect. She then promptly asked the old grandfather if he had any errands for her that day. He apologetically shook his head. She thanked him and left the shop to check another shop for work. Unfortunately, she was followed on her way out by a very smug blond who gave her what she assumed was supposed to be a dazzling smile.

"Can I help you, Captain?" She tried to be as polite as possible.

"You could go on a date with me." He winked at her causing her to inwardly gag and shudder.

"I'm afraid I will again have to decline." She stiffly turned away to head towards the meat store nearby.

The rugged blond scowled and grabbed her wrist. She suddenly felt a sliver of fear. She knew that he never took no as an answer. She wondered why he didn't just pursue of the girls in the village who would be more than willing to bend themselves backwards for the man. She, however, was not one of them.

"If you'll excuse me, I really do need to be on my way." She shook her wrist loose from his grip.

He shoved her by the shoulder and pushed her against the wall. "Are you still waiting for that square nose bastard? It's been ten years, he's not coming back. He ran off with his tail tucked between his legs. I'm the next best thing you've got."

She struggled against his grip. "Kaku has nothing to do with this."

He pushed her harder against the wall causing her to gasp as the air left her lungs. "I always get what I want. Do you understand me? I'm no longer going to just take your rejections."

She glared at him from under her bangs. "Let. Go. Of. Me."

He just leered at her and then let go, leaving the bruised girl on the ground. She absentmindedly rubbed at her wrists as she caught her breath, rage coursing through her veins. She stood up, all thoughts of money and work leaving her mind as she walked the road blinded by anger. The aroma of udon wafting out from a small road side store snapped her out of her angered state. Her stomach growled, and she walked in to sit at the table where always sat. The waiter quickly took her order as soon as she sat down, and she found herself running a finger over the small engraving in the corner of the table.

'M's and K's table.'

She smiled to herself remembering the day that he had taken her to this place. She had been hungry whining about never having the chance to eat anything other than bread and jam at her relative's place as she passed by the small restaurant. The waiter placed the steaming bowl in front of her bringing her out of her nostalgic thoughts. She placed one thick noodle into her mouth bringing back memories of the first bite she ever had of the steaming bowl of noodles and soup.

_"So good! Nii-san, what's this called?" She tugged on the zip up sweater of the square nosed boy sitting next to her.  
_

_"Udon. You've never had udon before?" He turned to her young self as he calmly sipped a spoonful of broth.  
_

_"No, but it's so good!"  
_

She could feel a tear slide down her cheek as she chewed and remembered that first bite. She furiously wiped it away, angry with herself for being so overcome by his absence after ten years. Pushing all thoughts away, she finished the steaming bowl of broth and thick noodles and rejoined the bustling crowd outside. The various stores and shops in the shopping district passed by as she made her way through the crowds, but almost every building brought memories to her mind. The sweet shop in the corner was where he had bought her the first lollipop she had ever had, the bakery was where he had bought her steamed buns filled with sweet red bean, and the toy store was where he had bought the first present that he had ever given her, a stuffed bear. She still had that bear, now missing an eye and sporting many patches from her constant hugging.

She entered her apartment feeling depressed and reached for the picture she kept by her bed only to find that all she grasped was the newspaper article that had started this new wave of depression.

The picture. The picture was missing. She frantically searched through the drawer on her night table and eventually through the covers of her bed, but there wasn't even a single hint of that wrinkled photograph. She slumped against the bed, arms hugging her bent knees. That picture was one of the few things that she had left of him. She remained in that position shedding silent tears clutching the newspaper article in her hand.

She knew she had to let go. She had known that fact for a while, but never had the heart to do so. But, in order for her to let go, she had to know why. But in order to know why, she had to meet him. She stood up, determination written all over her face. She was going to go out to sea and find the man that disappeared from her life ten years ago.

There was a merchant ship that was going to head out the next day. They would be more than willing to give her a ride in exchange for some money. She grabbed her cloth messenger bag and stuffed another change of clothing into the bag along with some essentials and the small bear. She grabbed anything that could be sold for money because she would need plenty of it for the journey ahead. With her bag ready to go and a plan formulating in her mind, she opened a very dusty drawer to unveil a simple leather chain with a wooden ship charm dangling from it. She fastened the necklace around her neck finalizing her decision. She was going to leave this small island tomorrow.

* * *

**Please read and review!**


End file.
